Jamui, Bihar : A Tryst of Aspirations with Reality

Jamui, Oct 6-9, 2021: “Step out of the office and visit the field, for that’s where you shall get to see the ground reality, which often gets lost in the MS Excel aggregates and PowerPoint decks!” That’s what my Project Manager had told me in my first Sales Transformation Consulting Assignment. After having spent 8+ years in field roles, I could not have agreed more. Mr Sumant Moolgaokar, the architect of Tata Motors after whom the vehicle Tata Sumo was named, is known to have his lunch at the roadside Dhabas, where he used to speak to the drivers of trucks, collect feedback, and use it back at the office to improve the experience of drivers. Some companies actually insist that every senior official in the company spend at least one day in the field every month. So, when NITI Aayog resumed its Aspirational Districts Visits Programme, after a gap of a couple of years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I was excited to go to the field once again, and this time with the intention to understand District Administration from close quarters. I chose to visit Jamui district, situated in southern Bihar, at a distance of about180 km from Patna.

About Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) : Celebrating the spirit of 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' !

The Aspirational Districts Program was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi in January 2018, with the objective of expediting the transformation of 112 most underdeveloped districts across 28 states, through the convergence of government programmes and schemes, collaboration at various administrative levels, and competition amongst districts driven by a mass movement. This Programme, anchored at NITI Aayog and driven by State governments in partnership with various line Ministries and development partners, is aimed at localizing Sustainable Development Goals, thereby further contributing to the progress of the nation. The progress of the districts is tracked through the ‘Champions of Change’ Dashboard, focusing on five critical sectors – i.e., Healthcare & Nutrition, Education, Agriculture & Water Resources, Financial Inclusion & Skill Development, and Basic Infrastructure.

About Jamui, the land where Ravana fought Jatayu, and where Lord Mahavir attained Keval gyāna !

I will be honest in admitting that I had not heard about this district until a colleague of mine suggested that I pick up Jamui for my Aspirational District visit. After registering myself for Jamui, that very night when I was researching on the district before going to bed, the first news to pop up was about ‘Naxalites wreaking havoc in Jamui, killing father and son’. I wasn’t sure if I had picked up the right district! But, all my qualms were put to rest when I started reading more about the district, and more so when I visited it.

Jamui, earlier a subdivision in the Munger district, was elevated to the status of district in February 1991. As per a popular belief, Jamui was the birthplace of Lord Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism. It is also believed that he attained Kevalgyāna (divine knowledge) on the banks of river Rijuvalika / Ujjhuvaliya (referred to as Ulai river now), which continues to flow through Jamui district even today. Jamui also hosts the beautiful Giddheshwar Temple of Lord Shiva, where, according to the legends, the unforgettable fight between Ravana and Jatayu took place.

Figure 1: Lord Mahavir Jain Temples in Jamui

Jamui district is divided into 10 Community Development Blocks (viz., Chakai, Sono, Jhajha, Laxmipur, Gidhour, Barhat, Jamui, Khaira, Sikandra and Islam Nagar-Aliganj) further consisting of 153 panchayats spread across 1528 revenue villages. According to the 2011 census, the population of Jamui district was 17.6 lakhs with an urban : rural ratio of 8% : 92%, an average household size of 5.7 people and a sex ratio of 922. The sex ratio is comparatively better in the age group of 0-6 years at 956. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 17.2% and 4.5% of the population respectively.

Figure 2: Jamui on India Map

As per UNDP’s Report ‘Aspirational Districts Programme: An Appraisal’, Jamui ranked 35 amongst the 112 Aspirational Districts on change in net resilience between March 2018 to March 2020.

Meeting the District Administration

My visit started with spending some time meeting with the district officials at the Collectorate Office, Jamui. I could not meet the District Magistrate (DM) since he was caught up with preparations for Panchayat Elections, scheduled for the following day. The Deputy Development Commissioner (DDC) was kind enough to spare time for me. We spoke at length about the various priorities of the district, the vision of the DM and the district administration, and the challenges that lay ahead of them.

Figure 3: Organization Structure, District Administration, Jamui (Source: Jamui District Website)

DDC also spoke about the various initiatives being undertaken to improve the state of education including smart schools, smart Anganwadi centres, the setting up of libraries, etc. He was quick to accept that Covid-19 might have delayed some of their efforts in this direction but with schools now reopening, he sounded a lot optimistic about these initiatives delivering returns. He also explained the various initiatives being launched by the district to increase Covid vaccination coverage, which has ensured they are amongst the top-performing districts in terms of Covid vaccination in Bihar.

He also lauded the efforts of various JEEViKA SHGs (Self-Help Groups) in driving livelihoods and self-reliance in the district, especially during the Covid Pandemic. Cognizant of the absence of any large-scale industry in Jamui and the high dependence of the district economy on agriculture, the district has identified some industries to focus on and promote in Jamui. He mentioned about the district having identified 25 key places of religious and scenic importance, where they are developing supporting infrastructure to promote tourism.

With utmost humility, the DCC also mentioned, how in the pursuit to minimize the distance between the residents and administration, the district administration officials across the state (including DM) have taken upon themselves to answer and address every distress call they receive from the residents, even it if it means at 1.30 AM in the night! Now, that’s some commitment from the highest officials from the district.

Thereafter, over the course of two days, I met up with the District Education Officer (DEO), District Planning Officer (DPO), District Program Officers (ICDS, MGNREGA, etc), Rural Development Department (RDD) Officials, Block Health Officer, Prabhari Officer at Community Health Centre and several other Program Officers. I was also accompanied by Divisional Facilitator from Piramal Foundation, who was posted in Jamui to drive the Aspirational Programme Agenda, supported by two Gandhi Fellows. Several other Civil Society organizations and NGOs are also active in the region including JM Financial, Tata Trust and Care India.

District Performance on Social Development Indicators

1) Education

In the 2011 Census, Jamui reported a literacy rate of 60% with male literacy at 71% and female literacy at a dismal 47%. The district has made considerable progress in education since then. The transition rate from primary to upper primary has improved to 89% in 2021 from 81% in 2018, and that from upper primary to secondary has improved to 76% in 2021 from 71% in 2018. All schools in Jamui now reportedly have toilet access, a functional drinking water facility, and a functional electricity facility.

Figure 4: Jilani Urdu Madhya Vidyalaya, Jamui

The first place on my field visit was the Jilani Urdu Madhya Vidyalaya. I was in for a surprise when I saw two rows in the same classroom, arranged in opposite directions. While I kept wondering why would someone have such a seating arrangement, the teacher quickly remarked, “On the left is Std VI, and on the right is Std VII”. Students belonging to two different standards were being taught in the same classroom, with blackboards and teachers of these standards on either side. This at once reminded me of Byju’s latest advertisement on ‘Two Teacher Advantage’ but with a twist. One can only imagine the concentration levels of the students amidst the chaos. Talking of other infrastructure in the visited school, the library was nowhere to be found; The toilet for some unknown reason seemed locked / out-of-use.

Figure 5: Jilani Urdu Madhya Vidyalaya, Jamui (Class VI and VII being taught in the same classroom, rows arranged in opposite directions)

When I asked a Std VII student to continue reading from where the other student stopped, he seemed a bit perplexed, only for me to realize later that he was actually carrying a Std IV textbook. When inquired why he was not carrying the Std VII textbook, he mentioned that he had not purchased the textbook as yet. The teacher quickly intervened, inquiring with the student why had he not purchased the textbooks as yet, when the money was now being transferred directly to the beneficiary bank accounts. The student responded hesitatingly with a promise to purchase the textbook at the next school book fair. Here's praying the student gets his textbooks soon! Until then, I have asked his friends to share their copies with him. Interestingly, students of 81% of the schools in Jamui haven't been provided with textbooks in the first month of this academic session.

While the challenge with regard to enrolment is being addressed, teacher shortage and training still remain a concern. 70% of the elementary schools do not meet the RTE specified pupil-teacher ratio of 30:1.?While the National Achievement Survey (NAS) Survey shall be conducted in Jamui this year, the last conducted survey in 2017 highlighted the need to improve the quality of learning outcomes, where average performance in Mathematics and Science in Class 8 in Jamui was 47% and 41% respectively. Even during my experience at Urdu Madhya Vidyalaya, I found few Class VIII students struggling to spell ‘?????’ correctly or do a simple maths of 98 x 17.

Figure 6: Jilani Urdu Madhya Vidyalaya, Jamui (Language and Mathematics Skills put at Surprise Test in Class VIII )

But, not to say that all students performed poorly. It was music to the ears (in the literal sense) to hear a girl recite the famous poem, ‘????’ by ??????? ???? with impeccable confidence. During my visit, I was also informed about a young boy from Chakai Block, Jamui, who had recently secured an All India Rank 7 in the Civil Services Exam, and how he had become a hero and an inspiration overnight for all local children. Jamui is also home to the famous Simultala Awasiya Vidyalaya, known for its record of producing 30 toppers out of 31 in the top 10 of the Bihar School Examination Board in 2015. I am told, even this year, 13 students in the top 10 ranks belonged to this school. With such role models within the students and the schools, I am hopeful of a brighter future for the students of this district!

Figure 7: Jilani Urdu Madhya Vidyalaya, Jamui ('Seekho' by Srinath Singh being recited by a student with impeccable confidence)

2) Women And Child Development

Jamui has a huge pool of human resources consisting of Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), Asha and Anganwadi workers working at ground level so as to enable basic health care even in the remote areas of the district. It has 1950 Anganwadi Centres spread across different parts of the district, providing basic health care services to the residents including contraceptive counselling and supply, nutrition education and supplementation, as well as pre-school activities. Thanks to these centres and the ground personnel, the district has done considerably well on maternal and child health indicators. On the contrary, the district has been doing much better than the State Average on the majority of the indicators.

As per NFHS 2019-20, 74% of the mothers in Jamui reported an antenatal check-up in the first trimester, 73% of the births were institutional with 67% of mothers and 70% of children reported receiving postnatal care from health personnel within 2 days of delivery. 66% of the children between the age of 12-23 months reported being fully vaccinated. 31% of the children aged 5 years reported attending pre-primary school during the school year 2019-20 against the state average of 11.5%.

Figure 8: Anganwadi Centre Team, Harnarayanpur Chowk, Thegua Village, Jamui

I had the privilege to visit one such Anganwadi centre in Jamui, at the Harnarayanpur Chowk in Thegua village. (I was surprised to find one more Anganwadi centre just a few metres away; would have perhaps helped to distance these centres to increase coverage).?I was amazed by the long-lasting impact that the sevikas, sahayikas and other Anganwadi personnel are creating in their neighbourhoods by mere persuasion, and inner zeal to bring about a change. When I visited the centre, the Anganwadi workers were performing a ‘god-bharai’ (baby shower) ceremony for an expecting mother in her 4th month. This event was a perfect example of how the behavioural change aspect has been incorporated perfectly in the IEC (information, education and communication) of the initiative.

Figure 9.1: Anganwadi Centre, Harnarayanpur Chowk, Thegua Village, Jamui ('God-bharai' Ceremony being conducted for an expecting mother)

The woman was felicitated by offering a red chunari and applying tilak on their forehead, signifying that the pregnant woman be treated with respect and utmost care. Nutritious items consisting of pulses, nuts, iron-rich foods, fruits and vegetables were presented to the woman, where the Anganwadi Sevika Shobha Kumari explained to the woman about the need for adequate nutrition in her daily life. She reiterated the importance of eating on time and not skipping any meals. (In most parts of India, even today, the women are often the last ones to eat, and have to satisfy themselves with whatever is left over). This was followed by a quick Q&A session amongst the other women participants, where the message of adequate nutrition was reinforced.

Figure 9.2: Anganwadi Centre Team, Harnarayanpur Chowk, Thegua Village, Jamui (Other Participants at the 'God-Bharai' Ceremony)

The centre conducts several other activities across the month targeted at infants and maternity health, immunization, health education, non-formal pre-primary education, supplementary nutrition, etc. The centres are further monitored by a dedicated Lady Supervisor (in charge of 8-10 centres), and an ICDS Officer at Block Level.?

While a lot has been achieved, a lot more needs to be done. Nutrition in expecting mothers and children still remains a cause of concern! Only 28% of the mothers reported consumption of iron-folic acid for 100 days or more when they were pregnant. This was also evident in my visit when the Anganwadi centres and Primary Health Centres I visited, reported unavailability of iron-folic acid tablets. 4 out of every 5 children (aged 6-59 months) and 3 out of every 4 women (aged 15-49 years) were reported as anaemic., The percentage of children reported as stunted (height-for-age), underweight (weight-for-age) and wasted (weight-for-height) stood at an alarming high of 43%, 38% and 19% children respectively.

Figure 9.1: Anganwadi Centre, Harnarayanpur Chowk, Thegua Village, Jamui (An idle tank, no water supply and no functional toilets)

Providing tap water supply to Anganwadi centres is one of the core objectives of Jal Jeevan Mission, and as per Ministry Dashboard, 100% AWCs in Jamui have been provided tap water supply. The Anganwadi Centre, I visited, had a water storage tank but lacked a functional tap water supply. It did not have an operating toilet (Pits were dug for the toilet, to be never constructed ever, and only to be filled in back since it became a nuisance for cars and cattle). There is an increasing need to equip all Anganwadi centres with basic amenities. Further, the district administration's plan to convert all centres to Smart Anganwadi Centres need to be expedited. It's imperative for us to provide an enabling environment at all Anganwadi Centres.

3) Healthcare

As per the Rural Health Statistics 2018-19 published by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Jamui has 1 District Hospital, 6 Community Health Centres (CHCs), 36 Primary Health Centres and 185 Sub Centres (SC) for its 17+ lakh rural population residing in 1528 villages across an area of 3,122 sq km. When compared with the national average in terms of coverage, Jamui shows a high deficit in the number of health centres. For example, Jamui has 1 SC for every 19 villages compared to the national average of 1 SC per 8 villages. Where India has 1 CHC for every 1.65 lakh population, Jamui has 1 CHS per 2.9 lakh people.

Figure 11: Community Health Centre (CHC), Khaira Block, Jamui

The dismal state of health care in Jamui district was evident in my visit to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Khaira Block and later to the District Hospital as well. We were scheduled to visit the CHC in the afternoon but ended up reaching early at 10.30 AM. Reaching early unannounced provided us with the real picture of the performance of CHCs in the district. The CHC-Prabhari was nowhere to be seen, with only a couple of doctors to be found in the entire CHC (one in the Maternity Ward and the other, perhaps was a General Physician). The facility showed poor hygiene, with toilets overflowing with water. I was surprised to find toilets in a corner on the top floor with water draining all around, wondering how the health authorities expected their patients to climb the staircase and walk to the corner to use the toilet. Most of the facility rooms including the Leprosy Ward, Covid-19 Ward, X-Ray Room, etc. were locked. The meeting room now reserved for Covid-19 vaccination had only one person in the room i.e., the vaccine administrator. When asked how many people have been vaccinated so far on that day, she was reluctant to share any information nor did she show the register.

I had noticed several people gathered right outside the main building across an unmanned desk with no respect for any Covid protocols, to only discover later that the desk was meant for RT-PCR test. Within an hour of our visit, the centre authorities had sprung into action, and the unmanned desk was now occupied with a security personnel and a health professional, and people arranged neatly in a queue. The Block Health Officer (BHO) had also rushed to the place by then, later followed by the CHC-Prabhari as well.

The BHO took us to visit the Cold-Chain Facility where all the vaccines and medicines were stored, only to be further disappointed at the state and hygiene of the room. When enquired about the provision for OTC medicines, the Block Health Officer was prompt to reply that all the tablets and medicines are provided free of cost to the patients. When enquired specifically about the availability of Iron-Folic Acid (IFA) tablets, the BHO mentioned there was a shortage of these tablets, and they weren't currently available.

The Maternity Ward was no different, with one of the patient rooms, embroiled in the dark with no functional lights. When checked with CHC-Prabhari on the low attendance of doctors and the majority of the rooms being locked, he mentioned that most of the health personnel were on the field on account of the Covid Vaccination drive. When enquired about why the X-Ray room and the Leprosy ward were locked, he mentioned that the Boy-in-charge has stepped out and is on his way back. I hope that the unavailability of facilities and health personnel during my visit was a mere coincidence and not a norm at the CHCs. Noticing my displeasure on the state of CHC, the Gandhi fellow who had accompanied me remarked that this CHC was still amongst the better ones. The others were reportedly far worse. I had no words!

Figure 12: Sadar District Hospital, Jamui

The state at the District Hospital wasn’t promising either. The hygiene remained a concern! While the DM had recently inaugurated the free X-Ray facility at the District Hospital, we found the patients waiting for over 4-5 hours to get their X-rays done. The wards, rooms and beds were in a dire state; The sight of a patient being administered a drip on a bed less than a size of a stretcher emergency ward was appalling. As per the recently released publication of NITI Aayog on the ‘Performance of District Hospitals in India’, the Jamui District hospital unsurprisingly lags behind on most of the indicators compared to other peer hospitals in the same category across India.

4) Agriculture & Water Resources

Agriculture is the primary occupation in Jamui district, with two-third of the population dependent on it. Rice and Maize are the key Kharif crops in Jamui while the key Rabi crops are wheat, maize, lentil, mustard, linseed etc. Over the years there has been a shift from subsistence farming to crop diversification (viz mushroom, jackfruit, onion, mahua, etc) in the district, with horticulture and livestock also increasingly gaining traction.

Figure 13: Paddy Fields, Jamui

Since I was visiting right after monsoons, I could see long stretches of paddy fields on either side of the road, all throughout the drive in the district. The district had benefitted from a good monsoon with river backwater to be seen all across. Unfortunately, in the long stretches of paddy fields, there weren’t enough practices of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) to be seen. I did see a couple of mushroom grams on my way. Perhaps, the NABARD’s initiative to promote the oyster mushroom spawn project in the district was yielding results.

As per the District Irrigation Plan 2016-20, Jamui has 45,880 Ha of the gross irrigated area against a gross cropped area of 80,510 Ha (i.e, 57%). The groundwater is the main source of irrigation for Jamui. About 78.3% of the total irrigated area is irrigated by dug wells and borewells, whereas only 2.9 % is irrigated by canals and tanks. Kukurjhap dam, Garhi dam, Naki dam, Nakti dam, lower Kiul Jalasaya scheme and Gidheshwar Payeen are the main sources of irrigation.

Figure 14: Garhi Dam, Jamui

Surface and groundwater are available in abundance in the district. It's now for the authorities at various levels to work together to achieve 100% Irrigation Potential Created (IPC) and 100% Irrigation Potential Utilized (IPU) so as to reduce risks and increase productivity.

5) Industries

Jamui is one of the prominent manufacturers of beedi, cement, iron, steel, salt, sugar, cotton & woollen textiles, kerosene oil, etc, There are about 100 beedi manufacturing factories in Jamui district with Beedi rolling widely done by women belonging low-income families. Traditional small-scale industries making utensils, iron grills & gates, etc. can also be found in the district. With the increase in vehicle population, automobile servicing centres can be seen across the district. Unfortunately, Jamui does not have any big industry nor does it have any large industrial area.

Jamui also has huge untapped reserves of mica, coal, gold, iron-ores, limestone, china clay, manganese, graphic pegmatite, tourmaline quartz, etc. Sand is one of the major minerals of Jamui with yellow sand in the Kiul river, a major source of revenue collection in the district as well as soil/clay being actively mined for bricks and pottery industry. From what I heard during the two-day visit, there were strong curbs on the illegal mining in the district; Not surprising that I didn’t see any tippers along the way.

For Jamui to raise its Per Capita Gross District Domestic Product, it will have to reduce its dependence on traditional agriculture and shift focus to food processing and higher value-addition activities. With huge untapped reserves of minerals, sustainable mining can further contribute to the employment and economy of the district The district administration will have to take upon themselves the task of inviting large-scale industries/companies and public sector undertakings in this area. With home to sacred pilgrimage sites, places of historical significance and scenic tourist locations (viz. Mahavir Vatika, Simultala Falls, etc), Jamui should invest in tourist circuits and develop supporting infrastructure. Tourism promotion can further generate livelihoods across the entire travel ecosystem, further boosting the economy.

6) Financial Inclusion & Skill Development

One of the flagship livelihoods initiatives in Jamui is the JEEViKA Programme, run by the Government of Bihar, aimed at developing institutions like Self-Help Groups and their federations to enable them to access and negotiate better services, credit and assets. JEEViKA Programme today has ~19,000 Self Help Groups mobilizing 2.3 lakh people.

Figure 15: Nari Shakti JEEViKA Mahila Sankul Stariya Sangh, Ratanpur, Gidhour, Jamui

I had the privilege to meet one such self-help group – Nari Shakti JEEViKA Mahila Sankul Stariya Sangh, Ratanpur, Gidhour. This SHG has purchased tractor and farm equipment for tilling and threshing purposes; this equipment is available for use for any farmer at affordable rates based on the land acreage. This initiative has helped improve farm productivity in the nearby areas. One another popular JEEViKA initiative is ‘Didi Ki Rasoi’ where women SHGs are running canteens in the district hospitals. JEEViKA didis also rose to the occasion during the Covid Pandemic when they started also manufacturing high-quality masks.

When it comes to insurance coverage and financial inclusion, NHFS-5 (2019-20) reported only 14.8% of the households had any usual member covered under a health insurance/financing scheme. While I could not meet up with Lead District Manager (LDM) to understand the challenges, I did get an opportunity to meet the SBI Bank Manager, Gopalpur to understand from him the status of Jan Dhan Yojana Accounts in his area. Through his various Customer Touch Points (CSPs) and those of other banks, he felt that his area had achieved saturation in the rollout of JDY accounts. He did point out the increasing instances of fraud cases, largely on account of beneficiaries falling prey to lucrative offers. He requested if the Authorities could consider curbing the Online Banking facility for JDY beneficiaries.

Figure 16: Meeting a beneficiary of Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Khaira Block, Jamui

He also mentioned about a widow beneficiary who was recently awarded a claim of Rs. 2 lakhs under the Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana. When we met the beneficiary, she informed us that it took 2 years for the claim to be passed and to finally receive the benefit. She also complained of not receiving the benefits under the Widow Pension Scheme as yet, even after having submitted all the requisite documents. When enquired with the authorities, she was informed about the incorrect Bank Account number which was causing the delay in processing. Interestingly, she had got this claim filed through a cybercafé, located 20 km away from her house. Her child, currently in 8th Standard, who has just learnt how to check bank balance online, is chasing the cybercafé person and authorities to get the records corrected. So much for Rs 200-300 per month !

7) Jobs and Employment

The district officials also took me to visit a couple of projects implemented under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the Chakai Block of Jamui District. Seeing MGNREGS in action at the grassroots provided a glimpse of how district officials managed the demand of the projects to the supply of personnel demanding employment. The Projects are proposed by the lowest levels of administration often Gram Sabha, which are further consolidated at Panchayat Level, Block Level and further at District Level. After sanction of these projects, the Rural Development Department (RDD) of the block coordinates the employment of people on these projects.

Figure 17: Visiting MGNREGA Projects, Chakai Block, Jamui

The first project, we visited was the ‘Plantations behind the Panchayat Bhavan of the Chakai Block’ being implemented at the cost of INR 3.1 lakhs (INR 1.7L for Labour; INR 1.4 Lakhs for material) generating employment of 974 man-days (INR 177/day) involving a plantation of 200 plants. While the RDD department played its role in project implementation, the lack of coordination with the District Horticulture Department was evident in the infestation of plants with pests, and lack of pruning which is considered a best practice for better growth of plants.

Very close to this site was another Project, ‘Digging of Well behind the Panchayat Bhavan of the Chakai Block’ which was being implemented at the cost of INR 4.99 lakhs (INR 1.64L for Labour; INR 3.35 Lakhs for material) generating employment of ~840 man-days (INR 194-198/day). One may wonder if digging of the well in midst of the village would have yielded better results than behind the Panchayat Bhawan. The third project we visited was ‘Animal Shed in the land of Baleshwar Mohta’ built at a cost of Rs. 1.6 lakh. Surprisingly, the project was approved and money was paid after all the construction work was long done by the applicant/beneficiary himself. A quick analysis of the work completed under MGNREGA in Jamui during the Financial Year 2020-2021 reveals that 90% belonged to the work done on individual lands.

The Chakai block provided 11.6 Lakh man-days of employment to 27,000 people in FY20-21 under MGNREGA with most of the projects pertaining to the Social Forestry area and building of houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. There have been reports earlier from Chakai block about lack of awareness of MGNREGA job cards amongst the beneficiaries, people being charged for job card creation which was otherwise supposed to be free, discrepancies in details on job cards, no entries on job cards versus what was being reported on the portal, favouritism of the village heads in the selection of projects and people for MGNREGA work, etc. I wasn’t able to check for these observations in my visit, and perhaps it would be best left to not comment on the proclaimed achievement of the block under MGNREGA.

8) Basic Infrastructure

Water : In terms of access to the tap water supply to each household, Jamui has shown considerable improvements in the past couple of years, achieving 91% coverage as of Oct 2021 compared to 1.93% coverage in Aug 2019. NFHS-5 Survey had also shown similar results where it reported 90.5% population living in households with an improved drinking-water source in 2019-20 compared to 80.2% in 2014-15. The pending households belong largely to the hilly terrains and Naxalite areas, and district administration is committed to meeting 100% coverage soon.

Electricity : As per DDC-Jamui, the district has achieved 100% electrification status of all households, with a supply of greater than 22 hours in a day. This was also confirmed in the NFHS-5 survey where the number of households with electricity has improved from 63.4% in 2014-15 to 97.9% in 2019-20. Coincidentally, in my visit to the Anganwadi Centre, JEEViKA SHG and PHC over the two days, I experienced a power outage at each of the places where I visited them. Hoping, my experience was only an exception and not a norm.

Sanitation & Clean Fuel: While Jamui has self-declared itself as an Open Defecation Free (ODF) district with 100% sanitation coverage, the recently concluded NFHS-5 Survey reported contradictory results. Only 35% population living in households reported an improved sanitation facility. Also, only 40% of the households reported using clean fuel for cooking. But. these survey estimates need to be taken with a pinch of salt, due to the respondent bias and the inherent tendency of the beneficiary to give a negative reply, on the expectation that a negative reply may help them to get additional benefits through government schemes.

Figure 18: Roads within Jamui and that connecting to Patna

Connectivity: Jamui has some good quality supporting road infrastructure, be it the connecting roads to Patna or those in the forest area of Khaira/Chakai or the hilly terrains of Lachhuar. It also lies on the Delhi-Howrah rail route which gives it easy rail access to two big markets, and also others along the route.

9) Law & Order: No Major Naxalite Incident in the last 3 years!

While a 2-day visit is a very short period to gauge the law-and-order situation of a district but I found the general mood in Jamui very peaceful, very contrary to what is reported in the media. The second day of my visit coincided with the third round of District Panchayat Elections where Jamui and Gidhour blocks were up for voting. I could very safely navigate across the district without any fear, even when moving around in a non-government vehicle with no additional provisions for security. The district has now successfully concluded three rounds of Panchayat elections without any major security incident, with five more rounds to go.

Jamui figures amongst the Top 30 Most LWE-affected districts in the country. In my conversation with Deputy Development Commissioner (DDC), Jamui, he mentioned that the district had 4 armed companies posted in the district, and that the district had not reported any major Naxalite incident in the last 3 years. The district has also benefited from the scheme for ‘Special Central Assistance (SCA) for 35 most LWE affected districts’, a sub-scheme of the umbrella scheme for ‘Modernization of Police Forces’ (MPF) where 425 projects had been sanctioned between FY18 to FY20, with 65% projects already completed.

Figure 19: SSB Personnel recovering 40kg of explosives during the search operation in Kerwatri forest, Jamui, Jul 18, 2021 (Picture Courtesy : News18)

While driving through the hilly terrains of the Khaira district in Lachhuar (considered a Naxalite hotspot at one time), one can notice two Sashatra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel training centres strategically set up in midst of the forest. It is believed that extremist activity has reduced a lot since the setting up of these centres. On the very first day of my visit, there were reports of SSB and Jamui Sikandra Police seizing 30 kg of explosives in a joint operation. With the backing of security forces and district police, and active monitoring of the Naxalite movement, the local people are finding the district a far safer place than it was a few years ago.

Conclusion

When on the field visit, one of the Gandhi fellows asked me a very interesting question. She asked, if the observations of visiting officials made over a limited span of time and based on limited exposure to all aspects of reality, weren't they subject to bias! Yes, she was right. These observations, if interpreted on a standalone basis, might not provide the correct picture. One of the most-loved Finance professors at my alma meter XLRI used to say, "Never-ever make the fundamental mistake in your life by arriving at a conclusion based on a single financial ratio!" While, wherever possible, I have tried to triangulate my observations with other available data points on outcomes and the voice of locals, it is likely to not be free of bias; Also, being born and brought up in an urban town my anchoring point is bound to be different.

But amidst all the above analysis, there is no taking away the fact that Jamui has progressed considerably well over the past few years, much better than most of the other districts in the state, and also in comparison to most of the other Aspirational Districts. With a more inclusive approach and involving all locals equitably in the development journey, the district can do real wonders, based on the huge potential it has! The district, if can address the chronic issues of health, nutrition and learning outcomes, can reap huge dividends in the future. Here's wishing the district and its people all the very best, as they march towards translating their much-deserved aspirations into reality !

Disclaimer: Any views or opinions expressed in this article are personal, and do not represent those of people, institutions or the organizations with which the author has been, is now or will be associated with, in his professional or personal capacity, unless explicitly stated. Any views or opinions expressed herewith are not intended to malign any particular group, organization, company or individual. While the attempt is to ensure that the content is accurate, the author does not represent or otherwise warrant it to be error-free. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, display or republish this content without the authors' consent. No content may be modified, edited or taken out of context such that its use creates a false or misleading statement or impression.

References

1.?????‘District Census Handbook – Jamui’, Census of India, 2011

2.?????‘Annual Action Plan and Budget 2021’, JEEViKA (Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society), Government of Bihar, 2021

3.?????‘National Assessment Survey (NAS) 2017’, National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), Ministry of Education

4.?????‘National Family Health Survey, NFHS-5’, Bihar, India, 2019-20

5.????‘Aspirational Districts Programme’ Website, NITI Aayog, Last accessed on Oct 21, 2021

6.?????‘Fact Sheet – Jamui’, National Family Health Survey, NFHS-5, India, 2019-20

7.?????‘Bihar at a Glance - 2019’, Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Department of Planning and Development, Bihar, 2019

8.?????‘Bihar Statistical Handbook - 2018’, Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Department of Planning and Development, Bihar, 2018

9.?????‘Bihar through Figures - 2019’, Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Department of Planning and Development, Bihar, 2019

10.??‘Final Report on 20 Years Perspective Tourism Plan for the State of Bihar’, Market Research Division, Department of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India, March 2003

11.??‘District Irrigation Plan, Jamui - 2016-20’, District Administration, Jamui

12.??‘District Survey Report of Jamui - Sand Mineral & Brick Kilns’, Institute of Environment & Eco-Development, Patna, 2018

13.??‘Best Practices in the Performance of District Hospitals’, NITI Aayog, 2021

14.??‘Rural Health Statistics 2018-19’, Statistics Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India

15.??‘Jain Circuit – Bihar’, Bihar Tourism – Blissful Bihar, Directorate of Tourism, Government of Bihar

16.??‘District Profile – Jamui, Bihar’, Udyog Mitra, Department of Industries, Government of Bihar

17.??‘Starred Question No. *389, LWE Affected Districts’, Ministry of Home Affairs, Lok Sabha, Government of India

18.??‘Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2019-20 Report’, Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India

19.??‘Aspirational Districts Programme: An Appraisal’, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 2021

20.??Jamui District Website (https://jamui.nic.in)

21.? ‘Champions of Change’ Dashboard, NITI Aayog, Last accessed on Oct 21, 2021

22.??‘Minutes of Eighth Empowered Committee Meeting of the Aspirational Districts Programme, NITI Aayog, New Delhi, 14th May 2019